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Rich, Lifelike, Stunningly Detailed Sound

Leave it to MartinLogan to make their legendary electrostatic speaker design available in an amazing sounding on-wall speaker that's uniquely ideal for center channel duties. Thanks to its full-range sound, it excels in two-channel and multi-channel systems alike. And you can use it in any application: as a left, right, center, or rear surround speaker, too.

"Talk About Versatile"

"Talk about versatile," notes Jeff Hereen at BestStuff.com. "Martin Logan delivers to the masses a very unique option to either the home theater, TV room, office, etc. You choose. This speaker can be a surround speaker, or a center channel mounted horizontally, vertically, on the wall or off, and on a stand. Again… you choose."

Motif is an amalgam of technologies carefully balanced to maximize performance and installation flexibility. A state-of-the-art XStat™ transducer, MicroPerf™ stators, ClearSpar™ spacers, and vacuum bonding combine with dual aluminum-cone woofers and a proprietary Vojtko™ crossover to provide maximize efficiency for an effortless, unlimited dynamic presentation. The result is rich, lifelike, stunningly detailed sound that blends seamlessly with MartinLogan's other electrostats and enhances any home theater.

Wall-mount brackets and a toolless pivoting stand (with 35 degrees of motion) allow Motif to perform as either a main, center, or surround speaker, mounted on- or off-wall, horizontally or vertically.

Carefully hand-built using only the finest polypropylene capacitors and air-core coils, Motif's crossover employs MartinLogan's proprietary Vojtko topology for vanishingly low distortion and seamless driver integration. This precision-tuned network preserves even the subtlest sonic nuances while handling the full dynamics of any source.

HD-XStat (Hybrid Dynamic) Technology

What really sets the Motif apart is a high-resolution neodymium soft dome tweeter embedded directly in the electrostatic panel. By eliminating the need for a bulky tweeter housing mounted in front of the ESL panel (as found on the Cinema and Theater center channels), the Motif all but eliminates high-frequency diffraction. This unique mounting system also increases mid-range/high-frequency phase coherence and time alignment while offering superior dispersion characteristics (compared to previous MartinLogan center channels).

XStat Electrostatic Transducer

Advanced MicroPerf stator technology gives MartinLogan's latest-generation CLS™ electrostatic transducer almost twice as much exposed diaphragm surface as a traditional electrostatic panel of the same size. This dramatic increase in effective radiating area translates to higher efficiency and an even more effortless, unlimited dynamic presentation. The XStat pulls no punches!

But there's more to it than just putting more holes in the stators, which must maintain uniform spacing in front of and behind the diaphragm to exacting tolerances. They cannot flex. XStat's ultra-rigid aluminum AirFrame™ firmly anchors the transducer's working elements - stators and diaphragm - around their periphery, while ClearSpar™ spacers stiffen the assembly further across its width. ClearSpars enable precise, consistent tensioning of the Vacuum Bonded diaphragm without obstructing the floating, see-through look that is the visual hallmark of MartinLogan electrostats.

In the end, a speaker cannot outperform the signal feeding it. MartinLogan's state-of-the-art toroidal transformer and electrical interface engineering ensure an absolutely transparent link from amplifier to electrostatic panel. The result is sound of unparalleled purity, precision, clarity, and openness - the next best thing to no speaker at all.

Vacuum Bonding

The components of each XStat™ panel - consisting of two insulated, high-purity carbon steel stators, plasma-deposited PET diaphragm, and ClearSpar™ spacers - are fused into a cylindrical-section geometry with an aerospace adhesive whose hold strength exceeds that of welding. MartinLogan's proprietary Vacuum Bonding process ensures uniform diaphragm tensioning and facilitates the extremely tight tolerances necessary for construction of such a precision transducer.

Curvilinear Line Source Electrostatic Panel

One of MartinLogan's original breakthroughs, CLS technology has been an essential ingredient of every electrostatic loudspeaker we've produced. Proprietary manufacturing methods enable construction of electrostatic panels as cylindrical sections. Their gentle horizontal curvature solves the problem of obtaining good high-frequency dispersion from a large radiating surface without compromising overall sound quality or reliability.

MicroPerf Stators

Although stators are the elements of an electrostatic driver that are supposed to stand still, they carry the audio signals that do the work of propelling the diaphragm back and forth to move air and produce sound. Because the stators sandwich the diaphragm between them, they must be perforated to allow sound to pass through. Yet they must also be rigid enough to remain absolutely stationary despite the strong electrostatic forces pushing and pulling at them during operation.

MartinLogan's MicroPerf design optimizes this tradeoff by reducing the size of the individual holes and using many more of them than in a traditional electrostatic panel. MicroPerf almost doubles effective diaphragm radiating area without compromising structural integrity. The resulting increase in output capability and efficiency allows a panel to be made much smaller without sacrificing performance - or to enjoy a substantial leap in bandwidth and dynamics without growing larger.

Low-Distortion Aluminum-Cone Woofers

On-Wall / Off-Wall Acoustic Contour Switch

Motif features a unique on-wall/off-wall switch that tailors acoustic equalization to either installation option. Simply set this switch to On-Wall if mounting to a surface. Set the switch to Off-Wall if the Motif is more than four inches from a wall. Setting this switch ensures that you will achieve total system matching in even the most diverse setups (such as systems mixing on-wall and off-wall installations).

Vojtko™ Crossover

Carefully hand-built using only the finest polypropylene capacitors and air-core coils, the crossover employ's MartinLogan's proprietary Vojtko topology for vanishingly low distortion and seamless driver integration. This precision-tuned network preserves even the most microscopic sonic nuances while handling the full dynamics of any source.

Application Versatility

Motif is suitable for use in any stereo or multi-channel audio system, mounted either on- or off-wall. And it blends well with other MartinLogan speakers in both sound and appearance, which allows mixing and matching to meet specific installation requirements.

Motif's Toolless Single-pivot Stand

Each Motif™ LCR speaker includes a single-pivot stand that enables easy installation on a set-top, floor or shelf. Additionally, Motif may horizontally / vertically mounted to a wall (under or beside a plasma screen, for example).

Easy Installation Low-Voltage Power Supply

A low-voltage DC power supply eliminates the need for a traditional, heavy IEC power cord and increases installation flexibility.

"Talk about versatile... Martin Logan delivers to the masses a very unique option to either the home theater, TV room, Office, etc. You choose. This speaker can be a surround speaker, or a center channel mounted horizontally, vertically, on the wall or off, and on a stand. Again... you choose."